"Overpay for a WR3": NFL fans react to Rashod Bateman's $36,750,000 extension with Ravens

On Thursday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed that wide receiver Rashod Bateman and the Baltimore Ravens had agreed to a contract extension.

According to the report, Bateman has signed a three-year extension worth $36.75 million, $20 million of which is fully guaranteed. With that new deal, Bateman will earn an average annual value of $12.25 million per season.

In response, some NFL fans made clear their belief that the Ravens drastically overpaid to sign Bateman.

Gatsby

@ZachGatsby

Overpay for a WR3!

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰

@the_det_times

Overpay? 😬

Top Shelf Action 🥃

@TopShelfAction

$12 million a year for a WR3 is crazy

Meanwhile, other NFL fans highlighted how Bateman had a great season last year and was fully deserving of his new contract.

"Under appreciated player," one fan wrote.

"If he continues to build off last season, that is one of the bigger steals in a while," another fan said.

"Well-deserved after a big breakout campaign last season," a fan tweeted.

Did the Baltimore Ravens overpay for Rashod Bateman?

Rashod Bateman is coming off the best season of his NFL career last year and is primed to continue building a larger role in the Ravens offense in 2025. He finished the 2024 campaign with 45 receptions for 756 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns for the Ravens.

However, on the other side of the argument, Bateman was firmly behind star wide receiver Zay Flowers on the depth chart and in terms of production, something that is unlikely to change this season.

Furthermore, Baltimore invested in signing veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins in free agency. Although Hopkins is in the latter stages of his remarkable career, he still can compete and will likely take snaps away from Bateman in 2025.

In average annual value (AAV), Bateman now leads all Ravens wide receivers in salary and will be making over $7 million more than the next highest-paid receiver (Hopkins) in 2025.

In the NFL, Bateman now ranks as the 28th highest-paid WR and has a comparable AAV to Buffalo Bills' Khalil Shakir, Atlanta Falcons' Darnell Mooney, and New York Giants' Darius Slayton, according to Spotrac.